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Corey Pavin, seeking his first PGA Tour win in a decade, fired a third-round 68 in Milwaukee on Saturday for a two-shot lead in the US$4 million US Bank Championship.

Without a win since the Colonial in 1996, Pavin recorded five birdies and three bogeys as he claimed a 54-hole total of 17-under 193.

He was two strokes ahead of fellow American Jerry Kelly.

“I’m not out here to finish 20th every week, I want to win a golf tournament” Pavin said. “I’ve been working really hard for the last 10 years.”

Pavin has been in control since starting the tournament on fire on Thursday. The 46-year-old set a record for the best nine holes in PGA Tour history by shooting a 26 on the front nine en route to a 61, a record for the Brown Deer Golf Club.

One of 77 players who needed to finish his second round earlier Saturday, the former US Open champion birdied three of his final five holes to grab a four-shot lead through 36 holes, with a 15-under total of 125.

His two-round score matched the lowest in PGA Tour annals, set by Tiger Woods in 2000 and matched by Mark Calcavecchia and Tom Lehman a year later.

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Eric Jorgensen shot four-under 68 to tie for the lead on the first day of the 54-hole Michigan PGA Tournament of Champions. He won the event in 2004 and now plays on the Canadian and Hooters tours.

“It’s no secret — it takes hard work,” Jorgensen said of playing on tour. “Belief in myself is where it’s at. Confidence breeds confidence. If I can get a top five on the Canadian Tour it would help. This (tournament) can turn my year around. Finishing first in anything gives you that much more confidence.”

Dave Kendall, a 51-year-old teaching pro who founded Kendall Academy of Golf in Ypsilanti, also shot 68.

Kendall is playing against some of his students in the field.

“My students keep me playing because they expect me to be good, so I want to live up to what they think of me,” Kendall said with a chuckle. “My competitive golf is nothing to take seriously. It’s fun to feel like I can play — at least for a few hours.”

The Tournament of Champions’ unique format allows men, women, seniors, juniors, pros and amateurs to tee up together to chase a $65,000 purse. Three sets of tees are used to level the field. Qualifying is based on previously winning a state event — whether Michigan PGA, Golf Association of Michigan, Publinx or selected junior tournaments.

The field of 121 — ranging in age from 18 to 78 — will be cut to the top 70 after today’s second round, then switch from Boyne Mountain’s Alpine course to the Monument.

Former LPGA Tour star Elaine Crosby of Jackson shot the low round for women and stands just one shot off the lead at three-under 69.

“I left three or four good chances (for birdie) out there,” said Crosby, who plays tournament golf sparingly as part of the LPGA Legends Tour.

Ron English of the Charlotte Country Club is tied with Crosby at three under. Michael Harris of Troy, the defending champ and a three-time winner, is at even par.

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